Apple CEO Tim Cook to Speak at Fortune's CEO Initiative Tonight

Apple CEO Tim Cook is set to speak at Fortune's CEO Initiative in San Francisco, California tonight, with Fortune planning to share a live stream of the event.

The CEO Initiative, an invite-only event, will kick off at 6:00 p.m. Pacific Time, with Cook set to appear at 6:05 p.m. It's not clear what Tim Cook will talk about, but the topic of the Initiative is "companies doing well by doing good."

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Fortune's CEO Initiative, an invite-only event that takes place on June 25 and 26 in San Francisco, is devoted to the topic of companies doing well by doing good. The theory is that infusing businesses with a broader purpose can help with recruiting, attracting new customers, and improving corporate images.

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Cook is a prime example of a leader who has worked to use Apple's influence to champion important social causes, such as diversity and equality.

The live stream of Fortune's event can be watched at 6:05 p.m. Pacific Time/9:05 p.m. Eastern Time on the Fortune website.

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

I get what it means to do good, but I want them to be what they used to... Great, in the departments that matter to professionals and creatives that have been sucked into the best ecosystem available. Pick up the pace, Apple.

Did that big building in Cupertino need to be built just because the company makes phones?

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Stop generalizing Apple by one person, one service like TV shows, or one iOS feature like Memojis. You know, he's not the one who's in-charge of making the hardware and software of iPhones. He's not Steve Jobs. He'll never be on the level of SJ's genius visionary. Cook was former Chief Operation Officer before taking over as CEO. He's practically never on software nor hardware.

So if you want to blame the current state of Apple especially Macs. Blame Dan Riccio, he's the one in charge of hardwares. Dan is the one who replaced Bob Mansfield when he left Apple because of Scott Forstall. So maybe blame Scott for being a pain or blame Bob for his rush decision to quit.

Sorry when Tim Cook is the CEO of a company who makes on average 40% profit on all their items and is sitting on hundred's of millions in cash reserves that it refuses to pay taxes on he has no right to make social comments. He should maybe get his house in order first! Human rights..All of Apple's items are built in China which has a wonderful Human Rights record! The Chinese factories used are virtual slave cities and the whole supply chain is based on sourcing the cheapest to maximise profits for the shareholders.
Maybe he should revisit how Apple's products are produced and reduce profits for the benefit of his employee's direct or in-direct. Also maybe move away from China! This won't happen as the Board and shareholders would never allow it! I just get frustrated at these companies who constantly have a social commentary and "know better" yet do the exact opposite in the way their companies are run!

Sorry when Tim Cook is the CEO of a company who makes on average 40% profit on all their items and is sitting on hundred's of millions in cash reserves that it refuses to pay taxes on he has no right to make social comments. He should maybe get his house in order first! Human rights..All of Apple's items are built in China which has a wonderful Human Rights record! The Chinese factories used are virtual slave cities and the whole supply chain is based on sourcing the cheapest to maximise profits for the shareholders.
Maybe he should revisit how Apple's products are produced and reduce profits for the benefit of his employee's direct or in-direct. Also maybe move away from China! This won't happen as the Board and shareholders would never allow it! I just get frustrated at these companies who constantly have a social commentary and "know better" yet do the exact opposite in the way their companies are run!

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Nah. Stop blaming everything on Apple. Low salary is mainly because of overpopulation. Even with low salary, people are fighting over there to have that kind of job. That's the country's problem that's why they have one-child policy. And don't ever think that only Apple prefers to manufacture in China. Android phones, Playstations, XBoxes, PC parts, almost every tech are made in China.

That's how the phones and tech gadgets are "priced as of now". Imagine the price of tech gadgets (not only apple) if it were manufactured in a country that demands high salary because of their high cost of living?

How about if I say that you're also benefiting from the price of tech gadgets right now?
will you also turn a blind eye and and just be secretly grateful?

Nah. Stop blaming everything on Apple. Low salary is mainly because of overpopulation. Even with low salary, people are fighting over there to have that kind of job. That's the country's problem that's why they have one-child policy. And don't ever think that only Apple prefers to manufacture in China. Android phones, Playstations, XBoxes, PC parts, almost every tech are made in China.

That's how the phones are priced as of now. Imagine the price of tech gadgets (not only apple) if it were manufactured in a country that demands high salary because of their high cost of living?

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Sorry of course it is Apple, they choose to have their manufacturing base in China due to cheap labour, really simple! They choose to source the cheapest labour/parts etc through the supply chain forcing companies to curtail to their wishes which of course has a knock-on effect. They make 40% profits and do not pay hardly any tax. They use their size and power to get the cheapest deals possible to maximise profit.
The discussion is not about other companies manufacturing in China, it is about Tim Cook running a company that maximies profits over your everything maybe he shouldn't take a high moral standpoint!

I would gladly pay more for a product made in a sustainable way where the workers are not treated as slaves and the manufacturing base is actually helping the country where the company is based in! Apple is only interested in profit and dividends for Shareholders, they sit on their cash reserves afraid to being it into the country as they might have to pay tax!

Sorry of course it is Apple, they choose to have their manufacturing base in China due to cheap labour, really simple! They choose to source the cheapest labour/parts etc through the supply chain forcing companies to curtail to their wishes which of course has a knock-on effect. They make 40% profits and do not pay hardly any tax. They use their size and power to get the cheapest deals possible to maximise profit.
The discussion is not about other companies manufacturing in China, it is about Tim Cook running a company that maximies profits over your everything maybe he shouldn't take a high moral standpoint!

I would gladly pay more for a product made in a sustainable way where the workers are not treated as slaves and the manufacturing base is actually helping the country where the company is based in! Apple is only interested in profit and dividends for Shareholders, they sit on their cash reserves afraid to being it into the country as they might have to pay tax!

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You got your ideals like those college activist student who's shouting for change but the world's problem like this is not easy as you think. Anyway, Apple products would have an "outrageous" prices if it's purely manufactured in US. It's not a simple labor work and definitely not suited for whiny/elite/entitled americans... imagine the lawsuits everywhere LMAO and Apple will not be currently this huge and successful if their products was priced way way way expensive than it is right now.

You got your ideals like those college activist student who's shouting for change but the world's problem like this is not easy as you think. Anyway, Apple products would have an "outrageous" prices if it's purely manufactured in US. It's not a simple labor work and definitely not suited for whiny/elite/entitled americans... imagine the lawsuits everywhere LMAO and Apple will not be currently this huge and successful if their products was priced way way way expensive than it is right now.

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Sorry I'd rather think for myself and have my own views rather than agreeing with the masses, certainly doesn't mean I have the same ideals and views as a college activist just means I can think for myself! Once again though you digress from the original point which is Tim Cook discussing social and political topics when the company he runs does not follow the same rules! This is not to do with the in's and outs of Apple's manufacturing! However I will once again state Apple are worth more than numerous countries, they make an obscene amount of money which is being sat on. I have no problem with businesses making money, I work in a corporate industry and without profit there would be no business, but Apple preach and market themselves to be above the "normal" company with high ideals, ultimately this is just marketing! They are very slick and superb at how they present themselves but they are only looking after themselves and their shareholders.

Can't agree that I'm myopic when I weigh the reality and also Apple's side to what "righteous" people are pushing to do. Callous? hmm, I'm a bit of realist. Life is cruel to lots of people. There are even more unfortunate than those who have jobs in China. You know, the reality is that "we don't get to choose" we don't get to choose our starting life including who will be our parents, family's financial situation, etc... if you take a deeper look to some people's lives, you'll agree that it's indeed cruel and unfair... so what we can do about that huh?

Anyway, just realized that there's some hypocrisy going on... we know that people are fighting over there in China over that low-salary manufacturing job... and you guys want to take away those jobs from them? isn't that basically you guys gonna indirectly mass murder those workers? so yeah, world's problem is not easy as you guys think

Can't agree that I'm myopic when I weigh the reality and also Apple's side to what "righteous" people are pushing to do. Callous? hmm, I'm a bit of realist. Life is cruel to lots of people. There are even more unfortunate than those who have jobs in China. You know, the reality is that "we don't get to choose" we don't get to choose our starting life including who will be our parents, family's financial situation, etc... if you take a deeper look to some people's lives, you'll agree that it's indeed cruel... so what we can do about that? huh

Anyway, just realized that there's some hypocrisy going on... we know that people are fighting over there in China over that low-salary manufacturing job... and you guys want to take away those jobs from them? isn't that basically you guys gonna indirectly mass murder those workers? so yeah, world's problem is not easy as you guys think

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Sorry that is not an argument and actually doesn't warrant a proper response! Also you still haven't actually answered my original post!

So how exactly does this distinguish Apple from every other publicly traded company? Please name the one that doesn’t prioritize profits for shareholders.

On the other hand, here’s a list of American companies whose products are used in iPhones:
Invensense
GlobalFoundries
Avago Technologies
TriQuint Semiconductor
Qualcomm
Corning
Texas Instruments
Fairchild
Maxim Integrated

They’re also repatriating cash and looking into a manufacturing plant in the US. They also promote green energy more than any other major tech company I know, and have dueled with the Federal government over defending your privacy. I personally have no problem with a damn rainbow watch band in an age where people still murder homosexuals for sport.

You say you’d gladly pay more for a cell phone if the company satisfied your criteria? I call BS, but since all current mobile phones are made in places you’d have a problem with, your noble claim is hard to prove. Sure, I often pay more for locally sourced or organic food, but that’s where I have a choice. You’re laying on the holier-than-thou pretty thick, but I’d be interested to go through your closet and see where your clothes were made.

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